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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIc CHARLES H. O BRYON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO JOHN E. BROlVT, OF SAME PLAOE.

UNDERGROUND CONDUlT FOR ELECTRIC WIRES.

SPECIFICATION formiig part of Letters Patent No. 265,131, dated September 26, 1882 Application filed May 23, 1882.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GHARLES H. O BRYON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the .city and county ot' Philadelphia, State of Penn- 5 sylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Undergronnd Conduits for ElectricWires, which improvement is t'ully set forth i the following specification and accompanying drawings, in whicho Figure l is a transverse vertical section of the conduit embodyiug my invention. Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation and vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a view showing the connection ot' the conduits at a street crossing. Fg'. 1 i is a vertical section ot' a portion ot' a testing station or vault embodying my invention.

.Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My inventioi consists of a conduit provided with openings in its side walls, having removahle plugs for insertion therein, and partitions erected upon the base of said conduit, which are also provided with openings.

lt also consists of a Conduit and its cover. in combination with the water-proof material or water-holding receptacle clanped between the Conduit and cover, and having its central portion depressed, whereby a water-receptacle is forined immediately beneath the cover, sulstantially as hereinatter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a conduit for electric wires, which is formed of lengths of tubes or tubular bodies of metal, concrete, or other suitable material, the npper portion of each of which is contracted to constitutc a neck, A', thus leaving shoulders A" on each side of the neck. From the base ot' the Conduit rise partitions or wallsB B, which divide the conduit into chambers a b c for dit'- ferent kinds of wire.

O represents the lid or cover of the conduit, which rests on the top of the neck A', the joint between them being suitably packed or cemented, or provided with gaskets for preventing the entrance of water into the condnit.` In the vertical wall (one or both) of the conduit are openings d, which are occupied by plngs D, preferably screw-threaded whereby access is had to the wires in the chamber a ore of the body of the conduit for the purpose of makin g (No model.)

connections therewith or hranches therefom, the partitions B also having openings (l at coincident places, so that access is had to the wires in the chamhers I) or c for similar purposes. 5

The in ner face ot' the Conduit A and the faces of the standards B are coated with cement or other suitable material, as at E, whereby water and moistnre are prevented from injnring the conduit and' parts, and insulation ot' the wires is eti'ected. Openings d' are also formed in the partitions B, so that the wires may he run ironi one chanber into the other, and said partitions may have hooks for sustaining the wires, as shown in Fig. l.

The tubes are laid in lieu ot' the curb and gutter stones now in use and in order to form fiush and tight joints the contiguous ends ot' t-hc tubes and covers are lap-jointed or rahbeted or otherwise constrncted and sealed or o closed. The shoulder A" of one side of the body constitutes the gutter, and the walls ot' the neck, in connection with the cover C, serves as the curb of the sidewalk. The shoulder ot' the other sideof the body serves to sustain the ground and sidcwalk adjacent to the conduit, the body thus having an increased width without necessarily widening the cnrb or neck ot' the body.

Depending from the month of the testing station or vault G, or from the cover thereof, is a water-proof material or water-holding receptacle H, which closcs the joint between said vault and cover, and serves to receive water which may accidentally enter at said joint. It is evident that a similar receptacle may be provided at the top ot' the necl; of the Conduit.

lVhen either cover is displaeed the water in the receptacle may he readily poured off or otherwise removed.

For connecting the ends of the conduits at the crossing of a street or corner thereot' l employ a tube, A which is sunk below the surface of the street and attached to and communicates With. the ends of the conduits A, as shown in Fig. 3, thus providing a coutinuous Conduit.

All ot' the wires in the conduits are accessible by removing the cover O, so that they may be laid, repaired, removed, examined, and IOO tested Without disturbing the street or side- Walk.

Ow'ng to the Construction of the body of the condnit, either side may be in front, and thns the condnit may be located and set with ease and facility, a practice-i and servicetble condnit is prodnced,.and a simple 'and dnrztble curb and gutter presented.

Having thus described ny invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The condut A, provided with openings in its side walls, having removable plugs for isertion therein, and the pa rtitions crected upon the base ot' said Conduit, and 'provided 15 with openings d', substantially as and for the purpose set fortl.

2. The conduit and its cover, in combination With the water-proof material or water-holding receptacle H, clamped between the conduit and zo cover, and having its central portion depressed, Whereby a water-receptacle is formed immediately beneath the cover, snbstantially as set forth.

i OHAS. H. O BEYON. Witnesses: i

JOHN A. WEDERSHEIM, W. F. KIRCHER. 

